Sharing and celebrating birthdays at office, is a part and parcel of work life. These can be of colleagues and co-workers or even your boss. So is there any protocol for handling birthday celebrations in an office background? A birthday at workplace is also a way to take a breather and share some time of fun and frolic with your co-workers. Here are few potential recommendations for birthday etiquettes at office.
Combining Works Great
Colleagues are expected to give their time, efforts and sometimes even money. A once in a month jamboree at the end of a staff meeting is manageable. Numerous parties throughout the month get monotonous and can get tiring instead of enjoyable. A monthly gathering is far more convenient than numerous parties throughout the month.
If you work in a big office where several employees have the same birthday month or other anniversary, think about having a group birthday lunch. Although acknowledging each employee is significant, too many dealings may become off-putting and feel like a compulsion.
Keep Financial Obligations under Check
Check with your boss if he is open to a monthly collective celebration to keep the budget limited. Ideally, office birthdays should not involve any financial compulsion from fellow employees. However, no worker should feel forced to chip in financially unless they want to bring a gift of their own.
Send out an email letting colleagues know about how to chip in and include a meek amount. Be apparent that the request is optional. And no one will be called out overtly. Persuade everyone to sign the card, regardless of whether they have contributed financially.
When it’s The Boss’s Birthday!
The boss’s birthday is one occasion whilst birthdays at office where things are a little or rather formal. However, it will also have a touch of respect and friendliness engulfed in. When it comes to celebrating your boss’s birthday, your main responsibility is to acknowledge the day. Surely, you are not required to give your boss a gift.
However, a good option would be sending across a birthday greeting or pooling humble amounts of money for a gift from the whole office. Whilst asking for money towards a gift for your boss, send out an office email that employees can place a non-obligatory donation.
Be a Team Player
For any birthday at workplace, attendance is optional. However, schedule some time from your work calendar to show your support. Your presence or absence will be noted and leave an enduring feeling.
There will be times you are flooded with a lot of work. And taking the time to converse over a piece of cake in the core of a busy day is the last thing you want to do. Take an effort to give a sincere acknowledgement.
Not attending may suggest that you are unfriendly or giving cold-shoulder to a fellow co-worker. A huge part of being a thriving co-worker is building relationships with your colleagues at workplace. An employee’s birthday is a great way to accomplish that.
Be discreet and convenient
Try keeping celebrations concise. For a birthday greeting card, write birthday messages that are professional yet cheerful. If an employee is on the other side of the city conducting work task, it can create a concern if they must return through rush hour traffic for a birthday celebration. Henceforth, don’t strain employees who are out of the office to come back specially for the celebration.
Keep external celebrations under censorship. If you are having a party externally and not everyone in the office is invited, circulate invitations outside of work. Organize the private party on your personal time. Make sure attendees don’t talk about the party. Be vigilant to abstain posting on social media.
Birthdays at office only become a challenge when expectations get out of hand or party plans are forced. However, following the above guideline will make them much eased out, convenient, minimal and yet enjoyable.